Drugs

Statue of Lady Justice at Vancouver law courts. (File photo)

Convicted Surrey drug dealer whose sister was murdered loses court appeal for leniency

Man sentenced to 9 months jail and 6 months probation for selling cocaine and oxycodone to undercover Surrey Mounties on four occasions

 

FILE -Dean Anderson holds up a sign before a march on the first National Day of Action to draw attention to the opioid overdose epidemic, in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, February 21, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C.’s overdose crisis: drugs, death and denial on the job

A recent survey of construction workers in B.C. found 1 in 3 self-reported problematic substance use

 

FILE - Rabbi Ben Gorelick, measures out a precise amount Sacrament, psilocybin mushrooms, during Sacred Tribe Sacrament ceremony at the Synagogue, his home, on Nov. 6, 2021, in Denver. Colorado voters are deciding whether theirs will be the second state, after Oregon, to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms for those 21 and older. A ballot measure would create state-regulated “healing centers” for patients to experience the drug. (Andy Cross/The Denver Post via AP, File)

Colorado votes on decriminalizing ‘magic mushrooms’

Legislation would create state-regulated ‘healing centres’ with licensed psilocybin ‘facilitators’

 

A person holds a syringe and an orange while learning how to administer Naloxone to an overdose victim, during an International Overdose Awareness Day gathering in Surrey, B.C., on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Dozens of recommendations in overdose and drug toxicity report by B.C. MLAs

Report calls for fewer barriers to safe supply, expanded take-home naloxone program

A person holds a syringe and an orange while learning how to administer Naloxone to an overdose victim, during an International Overdose Awareness Day gathering in Surrey, B.C., on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
File Photo. Deputy Rick Bray watches surveillance monitors from the control room at the Clallam County Jail on Wednesday in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

B.C. sheriff points to staff shortages, guard apathy for drugs in prisons

Sheriff speaks on anonymity as to how drugs get into prisons

File Photo. Deputy Rick Bray watches surveillance monitors from the control room at the Clallam County Jail on Wednesday in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
The various weapons found in a Vernon man’s car who was arrested in Kelowna (RCMP/Contributed)

Vernon man with guns, knives, bear spray and brass knuckles in car arrested in Kelowna

The man was found sleeping in his car with loud music playing on Sunday morning (Oct. 9)

The various weapons found in a Vernon man’s car who was arrested in Kelowna (RCMP/Contributed)
(Black Press Media Creative)

B.C. pharmacists welcome new prescription powers, but eye administrative burden

Starting Oct. 14, B.C. pharmacists will be able to administer more vaccines and renew prescriptions

(Black Press Media Creative)
(Photo - RCMP/Contributed)

Hundreds of grams of meth turned up in downtown Kelowna drug bust

When cut together, fentanyl and benzos believed to be immune to naloxone during overdose

(Photo - RCMP/Contributed)
First responders working on an overdose victim in Penticton in September, 2022. (Brennan Phillips - Western News)

Interior Health advising drug testing after recent overdoses

Testing equipment is available in communities across the Interior

First responders working on an overdose victim in Penticton in September, 2022. (Brennan Phillips - Western News)
Paramedics respond to a call as Vancouver city councillor Jean Swanson attends a march on International Overdose Awareness Day, in Vancouver, on August 31, 2021. In August 2022, the BC Coroner Service says 169 British Columbians died to the toxic drug supply. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

169 British Columbians killed from toxic drug supply in August: Coroner

Number a small decrease from 192 deaths in July

Paramedics respond to a call as Vancouver city councillor Jean Swanson attends a march on International Overdose Awareness Day, in Vancouver, on August 31, 2021. In August 2022, the BC Coroner Service says 169 British Columbians died to the toxic drug supply. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
FILE — The Biogen Inc., headquarters is shown March 11, 2020, in Cambridge, Mass. Shares of Biogen and other drugmakers researching Alzheimer’s disease soared early Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, after Japan’s Eisai Co. said its potential treatment appeared to slow the fatal disease’s progress in a late-stage study. Eisai announced results late Tuesday from a global study of nearly 1,800 people with early-stage Alzheimer’s (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

VIDEO: Alzheimer’s drug shows promise in early results of study

Patient decline reduced by 27% in initial study

FILE — The Biogen Inc., headquarters is shown March 11, 2020, in Cambridge, Mass. Shares of Biogen and other drugmakers researching Alzheimer’s disease soared early Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, after Japan’s Eisai Co. said its potential treatment appeared to slow the fatal disease’s progress in a late-stage study. Eisai announced results late Tuesday from a global study of nearly 1,800 people with early-stage Alzheimer’s (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
First responders working on an overdose victim in Penticton in September, 2022. (Brennan Phillips - Western News)

Interior-wide drug alert after cluster of fatal overdoses in Kelowna

Drug checks have found benzodiazepines and higher than average concentrations of fentanyl

First responders working on an overdose victim in Penticton in September, 2022. (Brennan Phillips - Western News)
235 Nickel Road, Kelowna, B.C. (Brittany Webster/Capital News)

Owner of Kelowna problem house finally finds support to evict squatters

Squatters have until Sept. 30 to vacate the property as per negotiations

  • Sep 22, 2022
235 Nickel Road, Kelowna, B.C. (Brittany Webster/Capital News)
A month-long initiative by the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit in the Okanagan led to the seizure of illicit drugs, weapons, firearms, and cash while working to disrupt and lessen opportunities for gang violence (Brittany Webster - Capital News)

Estimated 29,000 lethal fentanyl doses taken off Okanagan streets

CFSEU-BC completed the initiative in partnership with RCMP detachments throughout the Okanagan

  • Sep 21, 2022
A month-long initiative by the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit in the Okanagan led to the seizure of illicit drugs, weapons, firearms, and cash while working to disrupt and lessen opportunities for gang violence (Brittany Webster - Capital News)
Mom Stop the Harm group and city councillor Loyal Woodridge (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)

Mother who lost son to drug poisoning speaks out at OD Awareness Day in Kelowna

Her son thought he was taking cocaine but it was laced with fentanyl

Mom Stop the Harm group and city councillor Loyal Woodridge (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)
People hold banners during a march to remember those who died during the overdose crisis and to call for a safe supply of illicit drugs on International Overdose Awareness Day, in Vancouver in 2021. British Columbia’s chief coroner says at least 1,095 people died from suspected illicit drug overdoses from January to June in 2022, the highest death toll recorded in the first six months of a calendar year during the province’s overdose crisis. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Thousands in B.C. will continue to die until there is a safe drug supply, say advocates

Aug. 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day

People hold banners during a march to remember those who died during the overdose crisis and to call for a safe supply of illicit drugs on International Overdose Awareness Day, in Vancouver in 2021. British Columbia’s chief coroner says at least 1,095 people died from suspected illicit drug overdoses from January to June in 2022, the highest death toll recorded in the first six months of a calendar year during the province’s overdose crisis. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Overdose Awareness Manitoba is asking people across Canada and beyond to draw attention to those lost to the toxic drug supply by displaying an empty purple chair. Aug. 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day. (Overdose Awareness Manitoba/Twitter)

Why you may see purple chairs popping up on International Overdose Awareness Day

Empty purple chairs represent those lost to the toxic drug supply

Overdose Awareness Manitoba is asking people across Canada and beyond to draw attention to those lost to the toxic drug supply by displaying an empty purple chair. Aug. 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day. (Overdose Awareness Manitoba/Twitter)
Helen Jennens’ urn that holds the ashes of her two sons, Rian and Tyler. (submitted)

‘It’s in every neighbourhood’: Mother speaks out on toxic drug crisis in Okanagan

Helen Jennens lost both her sons to toxic drugs

  • Aug 24, 2022
Helen Jennens’ urn that holds the ashes of her two sons, Rian and Tyler. (submitted)
(Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)

‘I don’t want to die’: Kelowna’s ‘tent city’ Mama calls for drug reform as 6 lives lost per day in B.C.

In all the years she has been an addict, Mama Kjaer has never seen anything like the toxic drug crisis

(Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)
Harish Sharma, owner of the Medicine Shoppe Pharamcy on Jacklin Road in Langford, said he was lucky to get a small supply of Wellbutrin XL in for his patients. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

Shortage of common anti-depressant leaves Greater Victoria pharmacies scrambling

Langford pharmacist Harish Sharma recently saw limited supply sell out in hours

Harish Sharma, owner of the Medicine Shoppe Pharamcy on Jacklin Road in Langford, said he was lucky to get a small supply of Wellbutrin XL in for his patients. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)